Vojtěch Filip re-elected head of Communist Party

Vojtěch Filip will retain the post of leader of the Communist Party for the next four years: he was re-elected by a majority of delegates at the party’s congress on Saturday. Mr Filip received 176 out of 275 votes. He was rivalled by three challengers: Stanislav Grospič who received 70 votes, MEP Miloslav Ransdorf who tallied 22, and Soňa Marková who received five.Following the results, Mr Ransdorf withdrew his candidacy for the post of deputy chairman. Earlier in the day he had criticised the leadership of the party, comparing it to the former East German automobile, the Trabant, saying “it served but didn’t impress.” Vojtěch Filip, meanwhile, is considered an experienced and pragmatic politician. He was first elected chairman of his party in October 2005, replacing Miroslav Grebeníček.